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Who: Weatherby, Joey, Dangerfield and Max. (Max being the German pilot.)
When: April 20, 2006
What: A mission to take out an observation balloon.

NOTE: It is a bit tricky to edit these logs. I have not left any of the maneuvering done from the pilot side of things, since it would be a whole lot of spam.

Arras Airfield

A farmers field just at the outskirts of the town has been transformed into a forward airfield. Batteries of antiaircraft guns are scattered about, for this close to the Front, all manner of bad things can happen. With the protective line of Vimy Ridge to the east, at least this spot is safe from Fritz's artillery.
It is currently daytime.

Dangerfield isn't entirely sure what the scarf is for but it looks rather flashy and flutters behind him as he marches across the field towards one of the aircrafts. The fact that pilots have a short lifespan doesn't seem to have hit him yet.

Weatherby is already waiting near his plane, pacing. The smaller man looks more impatient than anything else to get up into the air. He makes himself stop pacing when he sees Dangerfield heading toward the planes, crossing his arms along his chest and eyeing the other pilot.

Dangerfield graps holds of the scarf in both hands and saunters onwards, coming closer to Weatherby. He stops and turns a broad grin at the other pilot and manages to not stare too much when realizing how short the other man is. "Hello," he says amicably, and releases the scarf with one hand to extend it towards Weatherby. "James Dangerfield," he introduces himself.

Weatherby doesn't return Dangerfield's grin, his spine prickling when the man notes his height, even if it wasn't too much. "Pleasure," he bites off, in a tone that suggests it isn't, particularly. He doesn't shake hands, instead busying himself checking some buttons over on his uniform. "Weatherby. Clive Weatherby."

Dangerfield's grin turns a bit strained but it nevertheless remains. He pulls his hand back slowly and resumes gripping the scarf in a dandyish rascally and lazy position. A quick glance up at the sky is followed with a; "Nice weather for a tour in the blue, hmm?"

So. The pilots mess. Which will need @digging I suspect. You're all lazing about in there like a bunch of slackers, as pilots so often are. When the squadron leader walks in, and looks about the place, eyes narrowed in that sort of 'need a volunteer or three' way.

Weatherby gives Dangerfield a narrow look at all that scarf toying, snorting and casting his own eyes up to the blue. He doesn't reply to the other pilot. But when he sees the squadron leader hanging about he's quick to hustle toward the man. "What's doing today, Sir?" he asks, puffing out his chest and standing up as straight as he can. In an attempt to look taller.

Dangerfield stifles a sudden urge to make himself seem smaller when he walks alongside Weatherby. That's the kind of feeling he gets around the other pilot, Weatherby's personality being of such a kind. It disappears as he focuses on the officer and with all the eagerness and youthful thoughts of invincibility he is quick to vulunteer. "I'm all ready for some action, Sir!"

S/Ldr Harper heads over to the two eager looking guys. "Fritz has put up a balloon again, just over the front lines. With all the attacks further south of here I've been told that we have to keep on our toes and not give Fritz an inch, so I want some volunteers to go out there and bring it down."

Although not jumping on his heels, Dangerfield is grinning like a kid in a candy store. Ahh, the naivite. "I'm your man too, Sir!"

Harper nods at that. "Sounds good. Eager people.". Four weekers they called em, no? "Its due east of here, just behind the front line, should be easy to spot. Shoot it down, come back here in one piece."

Weatherby nods a short nod, adjusting his scarf. Perhaps trying to get it to immitate Dangerfield's dandyish neck ware. But it just lays around his neck. He snorts. "Due east. Right sir. Behind the front line." The words make him grin, his mustache tweaking up.

Dangerfield throws out a very elaborate salute, the kind he's practiced several hours in front of the mirror to get perfectly right; respectful but at the same time with a hint of independence and a dandyish flair to it. It's all about appearances. "Shoot the baloon down. It will be done, Sir." He makes it sound as if he's about to go take out a large portion of the German army on his own.

Harper shakes his head, and returns to his office, with a wry grin. "Alright, good luck."

Weatherby's salute is straight, somber and proper. As if he's been saluting since he was three. He nods sharp to the squadron leader after he's done it, then pivots about and marches toward his plane. Dangerfield earns a level look, shake of the head, and snort. "Careful up there," he calls to the other pilot, in a tone that's meant to sound friendly but misses it by a mile. "The wind might muss your hair."

Dangerfield immediately does touch his hair, at that. "Oh, a bit of mussed up hair just…" He stops there and levels a small glare at Weatherby. "Good luck," he instead says and musters a rather cheerful grin before he marches on to his own plane, making a quite rotation around it first to check that everything seems alright before climbing up into it.

Aircraft Sopwith Camel takes off from Arras Town!

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield gets off into the air without problems and begins a rather slow but steady climb to gain altitude, turning the plane around and towards the east and the front.

Aircraft Sopwith Camel takes off from Arras Town!

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby makes a last, fussy check of all his controls, then starts to work them. He takes his Camel up, up, up into the wild blue yonder.

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield slows down a bit to not be too much ahead of the other plane, but keeps a steady path towards the east. His scarf can be seen fluttering dramatically!

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby speeds his plane up, up, up, then gets to adjusting himself in the air. His scarf also flutters, but not so dramatically.

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield suddenly spots an enemy flight off in the distance. Quite far away yet, but it makes him adjust his goggles. His wings tip a bit as he adjusts the course.

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby changes course a bit, swerving about to guide his flight in a more easterly direction. He doesn't seem to have spotted the enemy plane yet.

Aircraft Sopwith Camel takes off from Arras Town!

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield is slowing down more, having just passed over the town center on his way towards the frontline.

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby slows down some as he nears Dangerfield's position, still flying straight. The sound of firing makes him bank hard about, however, toward those guns.

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield gets a bit over-eager when seeing the approaching German plane. He begins shooting; at this range he won't hit anything but perhaps an unfortunate bird.

(From (#29) Fokker DR1) Max is pretty much heading straight for the foe, though coming in at a slight angle. Which suits him just fine.

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield really has no big idea on how to best shoot down an enemy plane. Heads on and fire away is his plan.

(From (#1576) Sopwith Camel) Joey flies casual as he notices the only Camel flying at sky. He isnt aware of anything going on….

(From (#29) Fokker DR1) Max is a bit more timid then that, looking to slip by.

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby has noted the tussel in the distance, but it's still decidedly in the distance from him. He pelts on the speed again, grimacing. He's not about to let that dandy steal all the glory.

(From (#29) Fokker DR1) Max spots another one, the contest getting a little unequal - but the other one is a long way away yet…

(From (#1576) Sopwith Camel) Joey :noticing the Fokker DR1, the young pilot changes his course, to help his comrades and he gets ready for a fight. This damn Fokker may be a good match for his trainning excercise. He is still behind the Camel but wont be too far for long…

Aircraft (#229) Sopwith Camel tears through the air, engine roaring!

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby evens out his Camel as he nears that German craft, his jaw tensing as he approaches. He squints, looking off into the distance at Dangerfield's plane, then focuses back on the enemy craft.

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield begins to go down suddenly and seems to be not so concerned with the Fokker now.

(From (#29) Fokker DR1) Max has overshot hugely it seems, and is on Dangerfields tail - but a mile away. He follows him downwards though.

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby casts a lingering look at the fokker, but it's the balloon that's their goal. So it's that he keeps heading for.

(From (#1576) Sopwith Camel) Joey isnt sure what to do actually, he goes after the fokker and leaves the Balloon to the other fighter pilot at camel, The fokker gone down for a reason, he doesnt knows why but he continues to go twards the Fokker

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield flew past the balloon and is still too high so he turns around and goes down a bit more steeper, eager to take out the target.

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby takes his speed down a notch, and his nose down several notches, as he nears the balloon.

Aircraft (#229) Sopwith Camel tears through the air, engine roaring!

(From (#29) Fokker DR1) Max is down at balloon level now, having dived. And theres a veritable storm of scouts about, but he'll take a crack at one of them before running.

(From (#1576) Sopwith Camel) Joey notices at least why the Fokker DR1 dived like that, another camel he is following. He sighs and curses, "Hold it. I am coming…" he says to himself and pushes his engines to full power…

(From (#29) Fokker DR1) Max opens fire when the other Camel dives down from above into his sights!

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby curses when the German starts shooting at him, instinctively ducking his head. But his plane is no trench. He starts opening his own guns, but he's aiming at the balloon and not Max.

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield realizes Weatherby is in a bit of a scrape and curses a bit for being so far away yet.

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield is hit! Plane is at least still in the air but he's turning quite white suddenly and there's blood-speckles on that scarf that sprays up from his thigh.
Sopwith Camel

[RAF] Dangerfield says, "Man, I am totally confuzzled now."

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby fires his guns at the observation balloon, and takes it down, baby, down! It's only then he comes out of Balloon Killer mode and realizes what a spot Dangerfield has gotten in. "Damn Tommy Dandy," he curses to himself, flying in to aid him.

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield sees that he's not alone up there. He made a quick turn in the air to try to shake the Fokker, but then that machine is hit and he is doing another quick turn back towards Arras town.

(From (#1576) Sopwith Camel) Joey fires from behind of the Fokker DR1, he notices the engine of the plane is hit pretty badly but he continues shooting. he curses as the plane is still operational, he turns his plane and gets ready for another volley

(From (#29) Fokker DR1) Max blasts away at a Camel as it cuts in front of him, but manages to shoot only the air.

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield is halting a bit, the plane took a hit earlier and isn't as fast as it should. There's even a few alarming sounding coughs coming from it at tmies. BUt it's still going strong enough.

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby is coming tight in on that German fokker, trailing smoke though it be. He keeps on shooting out it, yelling as he does so.

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby stops trying to aim his guns at the German plane and turns his head to just stare as the poor bastard goes down so hard and so fast.

(From (#1576) Sopwith Camel) Joey waves his both wings to his comrades, as a sign of victory, He looks down to the german plane which is completely a mess. He waits to hear the explosion just in case…

Aircraft (#29) Fokker DR1 has been destroyed!

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield tips his wings back at Joey. His white scarf flutters all dandishly. It has flecks of blood.

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby lets out a sharp, "Ha!" and pumps his fist in the air when Max and his fokker hit the ground. Killing, and watching killing, is easier when you're far, far up above the down and dirty business of it.

(From (#1576) Sopwith Camel) Joey points the Arras town, he raises his engine which has some smoke going out of it. He looks at other planes to notice if they have any damage.

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield isn't flying at full speed. He can't, as the engine took a hit earlier and is making alarming noises every now and then. He's struggling a bit with the machine and trying to stop the bloodflow on his leg at the same time. Arras seems awfully far away right now.

(From (#230) Sopwith Camel) Weatherby is still in more or less tip-top shape, and is his Camel. Which makes him breathe a long sigh of relief as he turns her about and heads her back to Arras.

(From (#229) Sopwith Camel) Dangerfield tears his goggles off in a realization he doesn't really need them. He drops them to his lap and suddenly doesn't seem to be all that happy about being up in the air. Adrenaline is no longer pumping and he's shuddering violently.

(From (#1576) Sopwith Camel) Joey 's Engine is slightly damaged. Not having much difficulty controlling the Bi-plane. He is glad he was around when he noticed the planes were at air. He doesnt knows what would happen to that two pilots if he wasnt there on time…

Dangerfield has been carted off to get himself some first aid. The man's not badly hit and is residing in the nearby mess house. He insists on limping outside though soon as he's patched up somewhat, squinting back to the other planes.

Joey nods his head, "Probably fine. He managed to land his plane to here after all." he starts to move where danger landed, "Well if he is hit, he is in luck. He will have good time with nurses back at town when we fly around." he jokes

Weatherby sees Dangerfield limp outside and snorts. "There you are, then," he says to Joey. Then he turns and stalks into the mess, past Dangerfield.

Dangerfield gives Weatherby an uncertain smile, but then moves onwards off towards Joey. "That was some fancy flying up there," he says and gives the other pilot a respectful nod. "Took that Hun by total surprise."

Joey nods his head politely, "Pilot Joey Battlecry of the Royal Air Force." he introduces himself, "I used the oppurtunity you created. He left his back very open to me and I didnt loose my chance. He was very lucky too. And I think when I shot him down, he was out of ammo… I dont like shooting down ammoless planes…"

Dangerfield grins broadly and lights up a cigarette, leaning up against the wall. He needs to get to the church soon but he can stand it a bit longer. "Oh, bollocks. I was overshooting the balloon and messed it all up. Your appearance saved the day," he says, obviously having no real problems admitting he didn't do so well. "But what can they ask, eh? I got a couple of weeks of training before being sent here!" He guffaws rather loudly.

Joey smirks, "Well, Most importantly. We all returned here back alive. Germans lost a Fokker DR1 and a Baloon. Its not important who is good here. We are all part of a team. And only together we can manage to beat them away. You have done well to keep him occupied when I shot him down. I couldnt manage it if you didnt keep him busy like that." he admits.

Dangerfield laughs again but condedes Joey's point with a nod. "I'll be happy to play bait next time too. And we should practice on that team work." He holds the pack of cigarettes out. "Want a fag?"

Joey shakes his head, "Thank you. I dont smoke. That things kill you." he jokes, "I am sure the Germans will want to play another time too." he laughs, "Lets go to hospital to get you checked there first. If doctor says its okey, lets go and have a drink."

Dangerfield likes that suggestion. He eyes his cigarette for a moment, then shrugs and holds an arm out. "Give me a shoulder to lean on, eh? I'm not hit badly but I should probably keep some weight off of the leg till we get to the church. And I won't be carried there on a stretcher!"

Joey smirks, "Fine." he takes danger's arm and puts on his sholder, cant tell he is very strong but he is helding up, "Lets get you to the medbay.

Dangerfield doesn't lean too heavily on the other pilot. "Of we go then, Joey," he says amically and begins limping off to the east.